1. Field of the Invention
This application relates to improvements in sail handling devices for use with sailboats. More particularly, it concerns new devices for handling spinnaker sails on sailcraft, specifically multihull sailboats and especially high-performance catamarans.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Sailboats may be classified in a variety of ways, i.e., according to (a) rigging, (b) hull configuration, (c) auxiliary power, (d) material of construction, etc.
In terms of rigging, basic classes include single sail boats (cat boats), two sail boats (sloops), three sail boats (ketch, yawl, schooner), etc. The present invention primarily concerns sailboats of the sloop class.
In terms of hull configuration, basic classes are monohull and multihull, e.g., catamarans and trimarans. While this invention may be applied generally to all hull configuration sailcraft, it is particularly concerned with multihull sailboats and especially those of the high performance type, i.e., those that reach high speeds relative to the wind velocity as compared to sailboats of lesser performance ratings.
Sailboats of the sloop class require two basic sails, i.e., a main and a jib. However, many of boats of this class also use a balloon-type sail, called a spinnaker, when sailing across the wind (reaching) or sailing downwind (running) in order to increase sail area and thereby utilize more of the available wind energy to drive the sailcraft faster through the water. However, because of their "balloon" structure designed to expose a great amount of sail area to the wind, the prior art has considered it necessary to use various contraptions that make sailing a boat with a spinnaker more complicated than with the basic main and jib.
By way of example, a problem of use of a spinnaker on a sloop always occurs when it is necessary to jibe the boat, i.e., change the course of the boat wherein the sails pass from one side of the boat to the other with the wind blowing on the sails from behind. Even with a sloop not flying a spinnaker jibing is a serious maneuver because the boom must be brought across the boat without damage to the rigging, but with a spinnaker flying, the endeavor becomes more complicated since there are numerous lines and other equipment that require special attention to prevent them from becoming tangled or fouling other equipment.
The present invention has addressed the spinnaker handling problem related to sailcraft and has overcome line tangling and related problems inherent in spinnaker handling devices available heretofore.